FINALLY, after a five and a half week break, the new look Shepshed Dynamo has been unveiled and despite the scoreline the results were impressive against the league leaders from the division above.

Liam O’Neill’s arrival to replace Jimmy Ginnelly as Dave Stringer’s number two saw five (Fazal Koriya, Gilbert Cummins, Ashley Robinson, Jerome Murdoch and Patrick Connolly) make their debut after arriving with O’Neill from Bedworth. The returning Chris Gray also enjoyed a second debut.

Premier Division Championship chasing Retford United were up first in a cracker of a game. Forget the scoreline. Shepshed might have given away a couple of sloppy goals - the cup-tied Ian Screaton being missed at the back - but the fans were more than happy with the quality.

Shepshed opened enthusiastically and might have take the lead on 10 minutes when the inrushing Matt Millns headed a Koriya corner inches over the bar. Play immediately swung to the other end where Retford’s top goalscorer Neil Harvey broke down the left flank, cut in and from 20 yards shot across Nick Jupp into the far corner of the net.

Shepshed hit back with Robinson and Murdoch showing up well for Dynamo. In the 19th minute an equaliser came when Retford captain Michael Simpkins was forced to handball just outside the area. Koriya’s sublime free-kick cleared the wall and left keeper Ross Turner grasping at air as it sailed into the roof of the net.

Shepshed weren’t level long. On 22 minutes Millns conceded a corner and when the ball came across Nicky Ellis was on the six yard box to prod the ball home through a ruck of players. Two minutes later and it was 3-1 as the Shepshed defence hesitated and allowed a cross by ex-Shepshed striker Daryll Thomas to be deflected into the net by Harvey.

The arrears were reduced in the 28th minute when Shepshed were awarded another free kick on the edge of the area when Murdock, having beaten three Retford defenders, was unceremoniously dumped on the floor by the fourth. Up stepped Koriya to score with a replica free kick which made him an instant hero with the Shepshed fans and keeper Turner looking a little silly.

On 38 minutes it was the Dynamo keeper Jupp who was ‘red-faced’ when coming out to edge of his area to clear he put the ball at the feet of Chris Bettney in the centre circle. From there the quick thinking Retford number seven thumped the ball goalwards. Jupp scrambled back but failed to stop the ball going into the net.

Down 4-2 at the break Shepshed needed an early second half goal if they were to stand any chance. It did not come. Instead it went the other way when Thomas broke in from the right to thrash an unstoppable shot past Jupp in the 55th minute. And so the scoreline stayed until two minutes from time when Harvey broke through a very tired Dynamo defence to complete his hat-trick.